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World Cup 2026
An Iranian-affiliated hacker group claims to have breached FBI drones and threatens the 2026 World Cup, prompting a $10 million US reward for information.
A French newspaper reported that a hacker group connected to Iran claims to have infiltrated drones operated by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), issuing threats against the 2026 World Cup competitions.
The group, identifying itself as "Hanzala," alleges it has seized data from FBI drones and threatens to disrupt the global tournament. This group is reportedly linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The private intelligence organization SITE, which monitors extremist cyber activities, published a statement from the "Hanzala" group. In their statement, the group claims to possess "every image and every record of suspects" captured by FBI police drones over several months.
The hackers assert they have compromised drones equipped with first-person view (FPV) technology, facial recognition systems, and license plate readers used by the FBI in counterterrorism operations.
According to the "Hanzala" statement shared by SITE: "It is advisable to tighten security measures at the World Cup; we hold no goodwill toward some of these teams. Remember well: FPV drones are everywhere, and you never know when one might find its way inside your team’s bus."
The FBI typically deploys drones to secure airspace and prohibits other aircraft from flying over US stadiums hosting World Cup matches and related events. The US Department of Justice had previously warned about potential cyberattacks from Iranian entities following US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in February, which escalated tensions in the Middle East.
The "Hanzala" organization, suspected by many cybersecurity experts to be affiliated with the Iranian government, has released photos and videos it claims were captured by the compromised drones. However, some security sources have expressed skepticism regarding these claims.
Due to the severity of these threats, the US State Department has announced a financial reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of members of this group.
